The Military Effect on Men's Attitudes Toward Women's Issues

• In Event: American Politics and Gender

Abstract

This paper explores male legislators' different preferences for women's issues. Previous literature has mostly focused on women's presence in politics and women's different preferences about gendered issues to explain how women's issues are discussed in the legislatures. I highlight how supportive the opposite gender is of women's issues also matters. I argue that congressmen with military experience are less supportive of women's issues because of the masculinity socialization during their service periods. Another mechanism is that, in the case of compulsory military service, men can have resentment toward women because military service generates huge opportunity costs. I examine this argument by South Korean assembly roll-call voting in the 20th assembly (2016-2000).

Author

• Yeon Soo Park, Texas A&M University